Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-09
BITING BROS.
Moved into their New Building with
a Stock of 100000.
Tie Finest Business Building in the City-Ihe
Firm Always Met with Unparalleled
success.

Tt was near ten years ago when Messrs A.
W. and c. w. Biting came to TINS city from
the good old state of Pennsylvania lney
had carefully made an investigation OF TINS
section of country and the location OF the
town The location and surroundings seem
ed sufficient to warrant that Wichita was
destined at an early date to become the great
| commercial center OF the southwest ms
| idea prevailing, they started in the mercan-
tile business in the building now occupied by
the Adams Express company. With extra
ordinary business ability and skill they nave
daily increased their trade.
Two years after commencing here the busl-
ness was more extensive than the ROOM at
that site could accommodate. They
bought the lot on the north
west corner of Market street and
Douglas avenue. 4 brick building with a
front of twenty-seven feet and one hundred
feet deep and two stories high was erected on
L. At that time it was one of the finest
business houses in the city. The lower part
afforded sufficient room for a few months,
| but when that became too small the second
floor was appropriated This was soon
crowded beyond the comfortable point and
an addition of thirty feet was added to the
north OF the building This space was inn
m -diattly flied, and last winter 1t became
evident to them that more room was abso-
lutely nece> sary and it was decided to erect
one Of The. best buildings III the city LOT
! with a tsvenry-foot front immediately west
of the building was purchased, and on the
sixth day Of July work was commenced
prepal atory TO starting tie new building.
was completed and the stock in place ready
for trade on The G;h of this month.
The building is one hundred and thirty feet
deep forty seven foot front and four stories
hi IL The wall are OF sufficient strength to
carry two more stories. Some weeks ago a
| Howard clock arrived from Chicago which
will look down upon the busy avenue. 1t is
exactly the same III every particular as the
clock at the Northwestern depot in Chicago.
l. viii he put in place and ready for measur-
ing time in two or three days. The dial
viii lie GIFTED at night by a gas jet which is
turne on and off by the clock at any hour
desired The machinery is such that if it is
ever desired four dias can be used
The lower floor Is used exclusively for
mercantile business. The visitor soon ar
riveS at the conclusion that he is looking at
IA business hail that IS a credit to any city.
The centra! part of the floor is occupied by
three rows of tables grooming under COM
| p etc stock of furnishing goods. The firm
ca ries all kinds from the highest to the
lowest On each side of these are thirteen
fla show cases in which is an extensive line
! OF hats Ia cases on the west side is com
! pie line of furni> hing goods. In the north
/ end of the room are three mirrors, six by
twelve feet, on the sides are five that measure
! four by six feet
| The decorative work done by Martin 6
| fine No one can escape noticing ltscheerful
appearance The back wall is finished in
the sly Of the Renaissance. On each side
of the urge mirror which stands at the head
OF the stairway leading to the second story
is statuary. Above the mirror is gar
in the center is a large panel with four land
scapes, and on each end large circular
panel with two smaller ones. The walls are
done up in panels tint,d with heaven Dor
ders, all of which are relief work The
! shelving and tables We're gives hardwood
finish
PasSino to the second story, the west half
Of th- building is used 10y the firm a. room for
! = duAs ana vali~eS. The space directly above
| this IN the third and fourth stories Is used
| for ,urpus goods and is where all goods are
unpac led or repaclled to ill wholesale orGe $
The emainder of Il e building is cut up into
thirty-six offices This fronts on Market
street and Douglas avenue. They are of
size and make them among the most deSira-
bic rooms in the city.
In tn cellar is a sixty horse power boiler
which furnishes the steam for heating the
entire building. Yesterday while the mer-
curry in the thermometes' was lowering
around the zero point a pressure of three
pound, comfortably heated every room in
the building. The apparatus was pun III 10y
kaleeu & Stockinger, and is giving com
plete satisfaction
The building is supplied with an hydraulic
elevator which has a capacity of fifteen
hundred pounds. Ii possesses all the safety
appliances If the cables raising the cage
should all hrsak it would not fal! over eigh-
teen laches. 1t Is regulated by patent
lever aud l. 50 arranged that 1t will step it
self when reaching the fourth story or the
floor the iiIS-.
I The freight elevator is placed in the rear
par c. tie ;u.l ing, and has capacity OF
10000 pounds. 1t reaches ali the apartments
used by She FIRM.
The firm l. now located in its new building
ready ior business at hcme and abroad
Eight men are constantly engaged in how
/ IA bargains and crying out cash" in the
retail trade. The firm intends to increase its
Wholesale trade At present tive men are on
ihe road, and when the spring trade opens
/ more Will he placed in the field. The firm
/ has now on hand q stock worth SIO0oG0.
The building ard ground on which it stands,
! is valued a; 500, 600
RECEPTION.
/ \ number Of ynun- Ds,r.Ia Snauf most